Mom’s Choice Award-Winner!

‘In THAT direction,’ the Cat said, waving its right paw round, ‘lives a Hatter: and in THAT direction,’ waving the other paw, ‘lives a March Hare. Visit either you like: they’re both mad.’

‘But I don’t want to go among mad people,’ Alice remarked.

‘Oh, you can’t help that,’ said the Cat: ‘we’re all mad here. I’m mad. You’re mad.’

‘How do you know I’m mad?’ said Alice.

‘You must be,’ said the Cat, ‘or you wouldn’t have come here.’

Alice didn’t think that proved it at all; however, she went on, ‘And how do you know that you’re mad?’

‘To begin with,’ said the Cat, ‘a dog’s not mad. You grant that?’

‘I suppose so,’ said Alice.

‘Well, then,’ the Cat went on, ‘you see, a dog growls when it’s angry, and wags its tail when it’s pleased. Now I growl when I’m pleased, and wag my tail when I’m angry. Therefore I’m mad.’

Not every argument is as obviously flawed as the Cheshire Cat’s, of course. Some false statements sound perfectly legitimate. Knowing what’s valid and what’s not—what’s real and true versus what isn’t—is important. Sometimes it’s critically important. Studying logic can help us know the difference.

This charming textbook (yes, really!) is an essential guide for beginning students of logic—and anyone else who could benefit from developing strong skills in critical thinking, detecting fallacies, and forming defensible opinions and beliefs. It is based on the syllogistic logic taught by famed author Lewis Carroll, writer of beloved children’s classics and creator of Alice and the magical realm of Wonderland—one of the most illogical places ever dreamed up. But Carroll was more than an author of children’s literature; he also wrote books on mathematics and logic, and he believed that logic is beneficial in ways both intellectual and personal, not to mention that it’s just plain fun.

This book is inspired by Carroll, drawing from his ideas and examples. It is at once whimsical and yet profoundly educational, providing students with a solid foundation in formal classical logic. Even better: It is illustrated with images from some of Carroll’s most widely read books. It’s a brilliant combination of delightful fantasy and deep learning, a refreshing way to master what in other contexts could be a tediously difficult subject, offering readers a powerful tool for making strong arguments and recognizing and dismantling bad ones. In today’s world, it is impossible to overstate how important that is.